Strengthening Governance of Social Safety Nets in ASEAN

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Abstract

Several Association of Southeast Asian
Nation (ASEAN) member states, in the aftermath of the global
financial crisis, are expanding their social safety net
programs. In many cases, existing delivery mechanisms for
social assistance in the region tend to be basic, in line
with the small size of programs. This paper is an analytical
framework to systematically consider and include governance
aspects in the design and analysis of modern social
assistance programs. The underlying conceptual model is
simple. Programs face a set of supply-side challenges that
have to do with their institutional structure and the ways
in which accountability and incentive relationships are
shaped. However, both in the region and elsewhere in the
world there are a number of experiences with diverse
governance tools that countries can draw upon as they think
how best to design and implement more sophisticated and
comprehensive social safety net programs. Finally,
administrative capacity is likely to represent a constraint
as governments seek to deliver increasingly complex programs
to a growing number of beneficiaries over a wide
geographically dispersed area. While large investments in
administrative capacity are unlikely, it is possible to
think about context appropriate solutions that can
contribute to reduce governance risk. This report is the
first attempt to systematically apply a governance lens to
Social Safety Net (SSN) programs in the region. An
analytical framework and diagnostic resource to review
governance dimensions of SSN programs in ASEAN, the report
intends to document existing efforts and challenges and
provide guidance to World Bank staff, donors and policy
makers interested in strengthening program administration
and mitigating potential governance risks within social
assistance programs in the region.